Vacuum cleaner with tool storage



Nov. 16, 1965 R. S. WATERS ETAL VACUUM CLEANER WITH TOOL STORAGE Filed March 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Robert 8. Waters and John W. Gilliom BY W-YM ATTORNEY N 1965 R. s. WATERS ETAL VACUUM CLEANER WITH TOOL STORAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1964 Fig.4.

United States Patent Office 3,217,350 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 3,217,350 VACUUM CLEANER WITH TOOL STORAGE Robert S. Waters, Lexington, and John W. Gilliom, Mansfield, Ohio, assiguors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 354,583 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-323) This invention relates to suction cleaners of the canister type and more particularly to new and improved tool storage means for a cleaner of this type.

The type of apparatus herein contemplated is adapted to have cleaning attachments or tools connected thereto by means of a detachable coupling. These attachments vary in size and function depending on the type of cleaning to be accomplished. For example, one attachment or tool can be used for cleaning fabrics such as drapes, another for rugs and carpets, and another for cleaning hardwood floors or the like.

Some prior art devices are provided with so-called tool caddies which are mounted on the cleaner housing in plain view. Obviously, this type of tool storage detracts from the esthetic appearance of the cleaner.

Other devices of the prior art are provided with a compartment within their housing for storing cleaning attachments. The attachments can be removed from the compartment as desired by opening a door which is hingedly secured to the cleaner housing adjacent the open end of the compartment. An arrangement of this type hides the tools from view and is therefore effective to enhance the esthetic appearance of the cleaner, however, the procedure of opening and closing the door for removal and replacement of tools has been found to be unsatisfactory. Some doors are so mounted to the cleaner housing (i.e., hinged at the bottom or side) that the door could be left open. The obvious disadvantage of this type of arrangement is the danger of injury to a person by walking into the door or injury of furniture or the like due to bumping by the door as the cleaner is moved across the floor.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide new and improved tool storage means for suction cleaners of this type.

It is a more particular object of this invention to pro vide a new and improved means for storing tools for suction cleaners of this type which conceals the tools when not in use and provides convenient access to the tools when needed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved means for storing cleaning attachments or tools which renders the tools accessible by opening a door forming a part of the cleaner housing.

Still another object of this invention is to provide new and improved tool storage means for suction cleaners of this type which is inexpensive and simple to manufacture.

Briefly, the present invention accomplishes the abovecited objects by providing tool storage means comprising a door hingedly secured to a suction cleaner housing. The door, made of plastic by simple molding processes, is provided with suitable hooks or clamps molded on its inner surface for holding cleaning attachments. A double hinge, molded integrally at the top edge of the door and attached to the top of the cleaner housing, allows the door to rotate 270 so that it can be made to rest on the top of the cleaner housing for convenient access to the attachments. The double hinge also permits translation of the door as well as rotation for allowing the door to lay substantially flat on the cleaner housing.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out in particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View, partly broken away, of a suction cleaner incorporating one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the suction cleaner shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the suction cleaner shown in FIG. 1, but with the tool storage door resting on top of the cleaner housing; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially in section, the suction being taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3 showing the tool storage door in the open position.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 10 designates generally a suction cleaner carried by a caster 11 and rear Wheels 12. The suction cleaner 10, including a housing 13, is adapted to have cleaning attachments or tools 14 detachably connected thereto in the usual manner.

The cleaning attachments when not in use are disposed within the interior of housing 13- and are hidden from view by a tool storage door 15 at the rear end of the housing 13. The door 15, molded from any suitable material, for example, plastic, comprises suitable clamps 16 formed integrally with the inner surface of the door. The clamps are adapted to secure the attachments to the door for movement therewith.

A molded plastic double hinge means 17 is formed integrally with the top edge of the door 15 at one end While its free end is secured to the housing 13 by suitable means as indicated at 18. The double hinge is effective to allow the door 15 to rotate from the closed position (FIG. 1) through an angle of 270 to the opened position (FIGS. 3 and 4). The hinge also permits translation in the horizontal plane for causing the door to lay substantially flat on top of the cleaner housing 13.

If desired, the door 15, with the tools 14 mounted thereon, may be left in open position during use of the cleaner without interferring with such use, since the opened door does not project beyond the sides of the housing 13.

It will therefore be apparent that there has been disclosed a tool storage door which hides the cleaning attachments from view when not in use and which allows convenient access to the latter when needed.

While there has been shown and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, modifications thereto will readily occur to those skilled in the art. It is not desired, therefore, that the invention be limited to the specific arrangements shown and described and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

Suction cleaner apparatus comprising: a housing, a molded door, double hinge means molded integrall with the upper edge of said door and attached to the top wall of said housing adjacent the rear end thereof, a plurality of clamps carried by the inner surface of said door, said clamps being adapted to secure cleaning attachments to said door for movement therewith, said double hinge means being effective to permit pivoting of said door through an angle of 270 whereby said door is adapted for movement from its normally closed position where it is perpendicular to and below the top wall of said housing and where the cleaning attachments carried by said clamps are disposed within said housing, to its open position 3 4 Where it is supported by and parallel to said top Wall References Cited by the Examiner where the cleaning attachments are readily accessible UNITED STATES PATENTS during use of the cleaner, the dimension of said door 2,608,709 9/ 1952 Benjamin 15323 extending between the sides of said housing being such 2 616 517 11/1952 Beck 15 257 X that the door does not project beyond said sides, said 5 6/1961 'g hinge means being further adapted to permit translational 043,354 7/1962 Fitzgerald 150%.5, movement of said door in its open position toward the front of said housing for minimizing protrusion of the FOREIGN PATENTS top of said door and portions of said hinge beyond the 61,996 2/1944 Denmark.

rear edge Of Said Wall- ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

